The holidays are going to look a little bit different this year. We all don’t know what’s up in the air during this pandemic. We wonder: Are the pumpkin patches going to be open? How is trick-or-treating going to work? How are we going to celebrate Thanksgiving?
The good news is that as this weather cools down, there are more fun activities available indoors. The bad news is that the holidays that come with big celebrations and parties are now canceled.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun while you’re under lockdown! While fall calls for indoor activities when you’re at home (perfect for introverts), you can still celebrate with your loved ones far away. And you can still enjoy the outdoors provided that you wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from strangers as much as possible.
You just have to think creatively! Lucky, I have a list of 25 fun fall activities during COVID-19 for you, your families, and friends:
1. Visit any pumpkin patch that’s open near you
2. Decorate your home with leaves, pumpkins, and other warm, rustic fall decor
3. Watch a football game featuring your favorite NFL team (Go 49ers!!) and host a mini-tailgate with all of the drinks and game day snacks. Host it with whoever you live with (roommates, family members, spouse, etc.) or host a virtual party. Get out the beer and jalapeno poppers!
4. Make a homemade pumpkin spice latte
5. Light some fall candles with pumpkin, cinnamon, or woodsy scents
6. Chill in your patio or backyard with a bottle of Angry Orchard
7. Go apple picking
8. Carve some pumpkins
9. Make a fall soup with all of the root vegetables (especially with carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash…all of my favorites!)
10. Toast some marshmallows
11. Take a long, scenic drive and admire the trees and colorful leaves
12. Go on a hike. The weather will be perfect!
13. Get your friends together for a virtual Okoberfest party. Each of you has to buy one or two types of German beer.
14. Go stargazing
15. Watch Halloween movies (Like Hocus Pocus or Rocky Horror Picture Show)
16. Visit a haunted house virtually such as:
Winchester Mystery House
Catacombs in Paris
Drakelow Bunker
17. Buy your favorite Halloween candy and hoard it for yourself for the next few weeks
18. On the contrary, drive around your neighborhood with small bags of candy, and throw them to each house
19. Host a virtual Halloween party, with full costume!
20. Bake pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, or pecan pies
21. Treat yourself to some fuzzy socks
22. Have an outdoor fall photoshoot (bonus points if you wear a face mask!)
23. Run your own kind of turkey trot on Thanksgiving. Most of them are going virtual this year. You can sign up for one as a virtual participant. Most races who do turkey trots give money to food banks or other nonprofits. But have fun on your own and wear turkey hats or outlandish Thanksgiving-themed outfits! (Please, just no pilgrims or Indians).
24. Host a virtual Friendsgiving
25. If you live by yourself or with a few people, only cook the Thanksgiving dishes YOU like. If it were up to me, I would cook a really small turkey and have my mains be sweet potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie 🙂
I hope you all have a safe, fun holiday season and remember these fall activities during COVID-19. Be sure to check back for a winter bucket list!
What are some activities and traditions are you doing this fall?
Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.